Burn Bans/Drought/Fires/Water Supply

Burn Bans

January 5 – In Walker County, local officials say that the recent rainfall was not enough to remove the burn ban that is currently in effect.The Huntsville Item, Tori Brock, January 5, 2011.

January 7 – On January 5th, the Galveston County judge instituted a burn ban for the Bolivar Peninsula following multiple reports of wildfires in recent weeks.The Beaumont Enterprise, Teressa Mioli, January 7, 2011.

January 14 – Grimes County officials have decided to lift the current burn that has been in effect for several months.The Navasota Examiner, Scott Mcdonald, January 14, 2011.

January 17 – Comal County officials have decided to lift a burn ban after the area received an average of 2 inches of rain over a 3-day period.KGNB News Radio New Braunfels, January 17, 2011.

January 18 – Taylor County has received 3 times the normal year-to-date rainfall for the area and now officials have decided to lift the burn ban that is in effect.The Taylor Daily Press, Tricia Rosetty, January 18, 2011.

January 19 – Seguin County decided to lift a burn ban that was in effect, but county officials wanted citizens to remember that is still a fire danger in the area.The Seguin Gazette, Ron Maloney, January 19, 2011.

January 25 – Nueces County leaders have decided to lift the outdoor burn ban for unincorporated areas as the Keetch-Byram Drought Index dropped to 355.The Nueces County Record, January 25, 2011.

January 26 – A burn ban that had been in place in Madison County was lifted by the Madison County Commissioners Court and applies to unincorporated areas of the county.The Madisonville Meteor, Kim Steele, January 26, 2011.

January 28 – Blanco County Commissioners decided to reinstitute an expiring burn ban, largely because a controlled burn in the area on the day of the vote became uncontrollable because of the large amount of fuel still present.The Blanco County News, Keith McClellan, January 26, 2011.

Drought

Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification

January 3 – The recent drought has forced the Austin/Washington County Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency to add eight more counties to the list of counties receiving aid from the Livestock Forage Disaster Program.Brenham Banner-Press, January 3, 2011.

January 4 – The drought in Midland has worsened as the city has only officially received 0.2 inches of rain since September 25th.My West Texas, James Cannon, January 4, 2011.

January 5 – The 0.35 inches of rain that fell recently in Jacksonville did very little to alleviate the ongoing drought in the area.Jacksonville Daily Progress, Tim Monzingo, January 5, 2011.

January 14 – Drought conditions seem to have lessened in the Big Country but there is still a large fire threat across that part of the state.Reporter-News, Jeff Craig, January 14, 2011.

January 21 – According to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, winter wheat and other crops were affected by the ongoing drought, and some producers are concerned about how their spring crops will turn out.Times Record News, January 21, 2011.

January 23 – The city of El Paso received no measurable rain for 70 a streak which finally ended on December 30th. Experts are concerned that drought conditions could persist until the start of the monsoon season due to the ongoing La Nina.KTSM News El Paso, Chuck DeBroder, January 23, 2011.

January 24 – West Texas cities such as Big Spring, Midland, and Odessa are set to receive 10% less water from the Colorado River Municipal Water District due to drought conditions.News West 9 Midland/Odessa, Victor Lopez, January 24, 2011.

January 1 – Drought conditions at the end of the year in Hillsboro led to one of the largest grass fires local fire fighters have ever fought.The Reporter, Hillsboro, January 1, 2011.

January 2 – Montgomery County firefighters say that although they recently fought 3 wildfires, recent rains have kept the overall number of fires down. Your Houston News, Matt Stephens, January 2, 2011.

January 3 – Nearly 8000 acres of land has already burned this fire season in the Coastal Bend recently, and officials say that the forecasted dry, warm weather for the upcoming spring could cause more problems. Caller News Corpus Christi, Mark Collete, January 3, 2011.

January 4 – Despite recent rains in Williamson County, fire officials say that the ground in the area is still very dry and vegetation is dead. These ground conditions combined with fireworks to spark 24 wild fires during New Year’s celebrations. Taylor Daily Press, Tricia Rosetty, January 4, 2011.

January 5 – The 0.25 inches of rainfall the San Antonio area received just before the New Year helped prevent many wildfires that could have been caused by fireworks.My San Antonio, Eva Ruth Moravec, January 5, 2011.

January 13 – Dust buildup caused by the recent drought and windy conditions contributed to utility poles in Cameron County catching on fire, leaving more than 4,200 customers without power.Valley Central News, Rio Grande Valley, Sergio Chapa, January 13, 2011.

January 20 – Even with the recent, widespread precipitation across the state, Governor Rick Perry has renewed an emergency disaster proclamation because of the wildfire threat stemming from the overall dry conditions.KXAN News Austin, January 20, 2011.

January 23 – Texas Forest Service officials say that the threat of wildfire is still very large across the state, with most of the state still possessing a large wildfire threat.Reporter News Abilene, Angelia Joiner, January 23, 2011.

Water Supply

January 19 – Four homes in the city of Reklaw depend on well water and according to officials, dry conditions have limited the amount of water the homes are now receiving. To solve the problem, the city has decided to upgrade the local water plant and to run water lines to the four homes. Jacksonville Daily Progress, Meagan O'Toole-Pitts, January 19, 2011.

January 23 – An overall lack of rain has forced a 10% cut to West Texas water suppliers by the Colorado River Municipal Water District. This led to West Texas leaders scrambling to meet in order to strategize for the cut backs.News West 9 Midland/Odessa, January 23, 2011.

January 24 – The High Plains Institute for Applied Ecology has just received a $10,000 grant to fund a program to teach residents how to harvest rainwater.Amarillo Globe-News, Kevin Welch, January 24, 2011.

January 25 – West Texas leaders are working together to start conserving water as recent drought conditions have worsened.KOSA 7 Midland/Odessa, January 25, 2011.

Agricultural Impacts

January 2 – Taking a look back at 2010 in the South Plains, weather had a large impact on agriculture and the agriculture prices, particularly with cotton.My PlainView, Richard Porter, January 2, 2011.

January 5 – Growers in Angelina County not only felt the effects of the drought on their agriculture, but they also felt the effects in their wallets.The Lufkin Daily News, Melissa Crager, January 5, 2011.

January 6 – Twenty counties in Texas are classified as having “extreme” drought and more than 50 counties are currently “severe” drought conditions, and this has affected crops across the state.The Cherokeean Herald, Robert Burns, January 6, 2011.

January 12 – The current financial forecast for the 2011 crop season is positive, but the weather forecast in South Texas might dampen projected profits for Texas farmers. My San Antonio, William Pack, January 12, 2011.

January 15 – The current drought is expected to continue on through the Texas growing season and this might keep Texas farmers from earning a large profit this season.The Houston Chronicle, William Pack, January 15, 2011.

January 16 – The Lubbock cotton yield was on track to be record breaking in 2010, but a severe hail storm in October prevented a record crop. KCBD News Lubbock, James Clark, January 16, 2011.

January 18 – According to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, soil moisture was lacking in the South Plains and winter wheat was only in fair condition. In Far West Texas, high winds were posing a large challenge to farmers in the region.Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, January 16, 2011.

January 20 – South Texas farmers finally got the rain that was needed to allow them to plant their crop.The Brownsville Herald, Rod Santa Ana, January 20, 2011.

January 21 – From October to December, most of Texas received only less than half of expected precipitation, and producers now expect that wheat prices across the state and the rest of the United States will factor in the drought conditions.The Times Record News, Fred Hall, January 21, 2011.

January 21 – Cold and wet weather have farmers in the Rio Grande Valley looking for help in order to help harvest crops. KRGV News Rio Grande Valley, January 21, 2011.

January 21 – Two to five inches of rain fell in Cameron County, giving winter wheat, canola, and flax crops a needed jump start to start the germination process.Temple Daily Telegram, January 21, 2011.

January 22 – The Panhandle has been very dry recently and soil moisture levels are very short. In Far West Texas, some areas have seen no measurable precipitation in the last 120 days.Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, January 22, 2011.

January 25 – Fields in the Rolling Plains are extremely dry while in the South Texas, 2 to 4 inches of rain helped replenish soil moisture.The Houston Chronicle, January 25, 2011.

January 26 – Though recent rains have help to alleviate drought conditions in East Texas, cattle have been somewhat hampered by hay shortages and cold weather.The Cherokeean Herald, January 26, 2011.

January 29 – Soil moisture was very limited in the South Plains and the Panhandle, with most of the winter wheat crop receiving a below-normal grade.Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, January 30, 2011.

Inclement Weather

Cold/Wintry Weather

January 3 – Cold and dry weather is thought to the culprit for numerous wild fires, grass fires and house fires in the San Antonio area.KVUE News Austin, Beth Danziger, January 3, 2011.

January 3 – Shelter volunteers say that although this winter has not been as cold as last year, several recent freezes have had the shelter full this year.The Denton Record-Chronicle, January 4, 2011.

January 6 – Firefighters in Abilene say that two recent home fires were caused by residents trying to stay warm by using heating lamps during freezing cold nights.KTXS News Abilene, Laura Labay, January 6, 2011

January 7 – Grayson County shelters are passing out blankets and coats to those who do not have them as the cold weather heads for the area. KXII News Denison, Victoria Maranan, January 8, 2011.

January 8 – Lubbock’s Salvation Army shelter was forced to extend their hours during the cold weather to accommodate all those in need.Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, January 8, 2011.

January 9 – One to four inches of snow fell during a winter storm that hit the Dallas area. The snow caused 200 departures from the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to be cancelled.The Dallas Morning News, January 9, 2011.

January 9 – Residents in Tyler were excited to received snow as many made “snow angels” and had snowball fights.KLTV News Tyler, Samantha Jordan, January 9, 2011.

January 11 – A homeless man in South Austin that was found dead is believed to have died because of the cold weather. KVUE News Austin, January 11, 2011.

January 12 – A power failure in the town of New Deal left 200 homes without power during freezing cold temperatures.KCBD News Lubbock, James Clark, January 12, 2011.

January 17 – Firefighters in Toledo Bend saved a man from freezing waters after his flat-bottom boat overturned and left him stranded in the water.KTRE East Texas, Jeff Awtrey, January 17, 2011.

January 20 – A Dallas man wearing a hooded sweatshirt trying to keep warm from the winter temperatures was killed by a DART bus. Officials believe the sweatshirt blocked the man’s line of sight, and he walked right in front of the bus.WFAA News Dallas, January 20 2011.

January 24 – Cold temperatures in Houston have made it very hard for an elderly couple without gas to survive.Fox News Houston, Emily Akin, January 24, 2011.

January 26 – The home of three wheelchair-bound Dallas senior citizens has been without heat and running water for some time, leaving them to keep warm using coats and blankets.WFAA News Dallas, Shon Gables, January 27, 2011.

January 27 – The Austin City Council will discuss an ordinance that would not allow utility companies to disconnect the heat because of non-payments when temperatures are below freezing.KVUE News Austin, January 27, 2011.

January 30 – Wintry weather is expected to interfere with the search of a missing Colorado City teen that has been missing for more than a month.Abilene Reporter News, January 30, 2011.

January 31 – Abilene homeless shelters such as the Salvation Army expect to have a busy few days as an Arctic blast expected to bring sub freezing temperatures is poised to enter the area.KTXS News Abilene, Roger Mares, January 31, 2011.

January 31 – The National Weather Service in Amarillo is expecting miserable winter conditions to start off February with 2-3 inches of snow, low temperatures below zero, and wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero.Amarillo Globe-News, Yann Ranaivo, January, 31, 2011.

Flooding

January 1 – A flash flood that hit the Messiah's Ranch in Bryan caused the spillway of a one-acre pond to collapse and now the owners are seeking help to repair the damages. KBTX News Central Texas, Clay Falls, January 2, 2011.

January 15 – Area officials in Killeen are trying to figure out the best way to repair Nolan Creek and deal with the flood issues that happen every time it rains in the area. The Killeen Daily Herald, Anthony Scott, January 15, 2011.

Hurricanes

January 2 – Residents of Galveston have proven over the years to be very resilient. In the early days of the Island residents were tested when two Civil War battles were fought on the Island and have most recently Islanders have been tested with the passage of Hurricane Ike.The Daily News Galveston, Kim Spangler, January 2, 2011.

Severe Weather

January 8 – SKYWARN members in Angelina County helped warn the community of severe weather that could hit the area.The Lufkin Daily News, Jessica Cooley, January 9, 2011.

January 9 – A storm that hit the Coastal Bend town of Robstown destroyed roofs and damaged vehicles, but thankfully no one was injured.KRIS TV News Corpus Christi, Rashi Vats, January 10, 2011.

January 10 – A storm that hit Calallen, near Corpus Christi, caused ripped off parts of the roof and damaged over 125 vehicles at a local car dealership.KZTV News Corpus Christi, Keaton Fox, January 10, 2011.

January 10 – A storm that ripped through the Coastal Bend area caused damage from Alice to Rockport to Corpus Christi.KIII TV News South Texas, January 10, 2011.

January 18 – A hailstorm that hit Annaville is believed to have caused a fire that damaged a local restaurant.KRIS TV Corpus Christi, Janine Reyes, January 18, 2011.

Other Climate Impacts

Air/Water Quality

January 4 – The Environmental Protection Agency must now wait for the courts to decide if it can take over greenhouse gas permits from state of Texas. The Houston Chronicle, Matthew Tresaugue, January 4, 2011.

Animals/Aquatic Life

January 14 – Officials at the Padre Island National Seashore say that at least 16 green sea turtles have washed up on shore, all having been stunned by the cold weather. Caller Times Corpus Christi, Steven Alford, January 14, 2011.

January 16 – As sudden increase in the cat population in Central Texas has been at least partially blamed on the drought of 2009 and the rains that followed. Statesman News Austin, Miguel Liscano, January 16, 2011.

January 18 – The current drought in San Angelo is taking a toll on the O.C. Fisher Reservoir. Recently dead fish have been found on the shore due to algae and poor oxygen levels in the water, as wells lack of vegetation and water.San Angelo Standard Times, Justin Zamudio, January 19, 2011.

January 25 – Fire ant specialist believes that excessive hot and dry weather in the summers and cold temperatures in the winter have decreased the fire ant activity in Texas.Country World News, Clay Coppedge, January 25, 2011.

January 27 – The Animal Rehabilitation Keep in Port Aransas has seen an unusually large number of injured pelicans and a hailstorm earlier in the month is thought to be the blame for a large percentage of the injuries.KZTV News Corpus Christi, Dave Fraser, January 27, 2011.

Construction

January 8 – Galveston homeowners who hired a company to make repairs to their homes that were damaged during hurricane Ike are trying to understand why none of the work has been finished. The Daily News Galveston, Laura Elder, January 9, 2011.

January 17 – Nearly 1,500 Galveston residents are still living in homes that were damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008 and are still waiting for repairs to be done to their homes. The Houston Chronicle, January 17, 2011.

Economics

January 2 – Windy and rainy weather covered many cars in mud in Amarillo and car wash owners were making a big profit in the area. The Amarillo Globe-News, Madelyn Bankhead-Vieth, January 2, 2011.

January 6 – Farmers who lost at least 30% of their production during Hurricane Alex are now eligible for emergency disaster loans.Caller News Corpus Christi, Marke Collette, January 6, 2011.

January 7 – Small, non-farm businesses in Texas whose crops have been negatively affected by the recent drought are now eligible to apply for a low interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.KXII News Texoma, January 7, 2011.

January 23 – Since Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, the economy in Galveston has taken a down turn and city officials are looking to hire someone to promote economic development in the city.The Houston Chronicle, January 23, 2011.

Health/Lifestyle

January 4 – Summer rains and cooler, dry winter conditions have helped the cedar pollen counts to rise to an all time high this year, and allergy sufferers in San Antonio are feeling the effects.KENS News San Antonio, Wendy Rigby, January 4, 2011.

January 11 – There are a number of workers around Lubbock whose jobs force them to work in the freezing cold weather to get their jobs done. KCBD News Lubbock, Christie Post, Januray 11, 2011.

January 12 – Dallas ISD maintenance crews worked through freezing temperatures to restore power and heat to three Dallas schools. The Dallas Morning News, Matthew Haag, January 12, 2011.

January 13 – As temperatures have cooled down, residents with pets are reminded to take the right steps to keep their pets safe, warm, and healthy. Texas A&M University, Marketing and Communications, January 13, 2011.

January 26 – With the flu season in Houston expected to peak soon, experts explain that an increase in flu patients during the winter is not directly correlated to cold weather.KTRE News East Texas, Holley Nees, January 28, 2011.

January 27 – The number of cold and flu patients has increased significantly over the past two weeks in East Texas, and recent cold weather is at least partially to blame.KIAH News Houston, January 27, 2011.

January 28 – The Coffee Memorial Blood Center in Amarillo extended their weekend hours for the first time in anticipation of a major winter storm expected to hit the area in the next few days.KFDA News Amarillo, Diana Crawford, January 28, 2011.

Homes/Gardening/Trees

January 8 – The live oak canopy that was lost during Hurricane Ike has now been turned into whimsical sculptures. Statesman News Austin, Anders Meanders, January 8, 2011.

January 10 – Residents in Corpus Christi who have collected debris after the recent storms have the option of leaving the debris in piles for the local solid waste operations to pick it up. KZTV News Corpus Christi, January 10, 2011.

January 14 – Plant specialists in the San Angelo area say that while deep freezes might have killed off some plants, most of the effects of these freezes will not be seen until the spring.San Angelo Standard-Times, John Begnaud, January 14, 2011.

January 28 – Though the current La Nina weather pattern is expected to bring warmer spring temperatures to Texas earlier than normal, gardening experts advise to use caution if planning to alter your spring planting schedule.Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Adam Young, January 29, 2011.

Recreation/Leisure/Athletics

January 1 – Cold weather and snow on the ground kept the Sun Bowl in El Paso from living up to its name, weather-wise.El Paso Times, David Burge, January 1, 2011.

January 7 – According to experts, running in the colder weather does not burn more calories. American Health and Beauty, January 07, 2011.

January 19 – Prep school boys faced a different kind of challenge on the golf course…cold weather as they played in sub- freezing temperatures. Statesman News Austin, Doug Smith, January 19, 2011.

January 19 – Super Bowl representatives say that preparations for the game are on target and that winter weather should not be an issue for the game.Star Telegram Dallas, Pete Alfano, January 20, 2011.

January 24 – Meteorologists say it is too early to tell what exactly the forecast will be on the day of the Super Bowl, but thanks to La Nina, the weather is likely to be pretty nice.Star Telegram Dallas, Pete Alfano, January 24, 2011.

January 27 – Fans from Pittsburgh and Green Bay traveling to Dallas-Fort Worth expecting to escape the winter chill will be in for a big surprise when they arrive in North Texas. NBCD News Dallas/Forth Worth, Ellen Goldberg, January 28, 2011.

January 28 – The first day of practice for the Texas A&M University baseball team was ideal with clear skies and temperatures in the lower 70s.KBTX News Central Texas, January 28, 2011.

January 29 – The Mansfield City Council unanimously agreed to spend the more than $1 million needed to install artificial turf at the Big League Dreams baseball complex in order to expedite drainage of the fields after rain events.Star Telegram Mansfield, Amanda Rogers, January 30, 2011.

January 29 – ESPN insists that the Super Bowl-based television coverage from Sundance Square in Fort Worth shows will go on as planned despite the forecast for record-breaking cold and wintry precipitation.Star Telegram, January 29, 2011.

January 30 – Rain showers were prevalent throughout the Chevron Houston Marathon, but this did not keep the more than 17,000 runners from participating in the event.Culture Map Houston, Marci Gilbert, January 30, 2011.

January 30 – The TCU women's tennis match against North Texas was suspended because of rain, and no makeup date has been set.Texas Christian University, January 30, 2011.

January 31 – Though cold and wintry weather would not ideally be around during the week leading up to the Super Bowl, weather contingency plans that have been discussed for months by North Texas leaders will be put into action to ensure a successful week.Dallas News, Richard Abshire & Amber Bell, January 30, 2011.

Roads/Traffic/Travel

January 9 – Snow that fell in Longview caused more than 80 traffic accidents in the area. KLTV News East Texas, Bob Hallmark, January 10 2011.

January 11 – Snow in the South caused airline cancellations and many of the delays affected travelers at the El Paso airport.El Paso Times, January 11, 2011.

January 13 – Officials say a McKinney man died when his car skidded on icy roads, which led his car into oncoming traffic. Star Local New Dallas, Danny Gallagher, January 13, 2011.

January 16 – Rain slick roads caused two wrecks on Interstate 10 that brought traffic to a standstill.KYTX News East Texas, Bert Charan, January 16, 2011.

January 17 – Officials in Bryan say that rain soaked roads caused an accident that took the life a young boy and sent three others to the hospital. KWTX News Central Texas, January 17, 2011.

January 30 – Wet weather caused a tractor trailer to hydroplane and crash on Interstate 10 near Beaumont, and this forced the closure of both east and west bound lanes for more than two hours.KFDM News Beaumont, Ashley Gaston, January 30, 2011.

January 31 – Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) was closed for about two and a half hours to allow crews to clear runways of ice. Americans Airlines was forced to cancel roughly 800 flights out of DFW, based partially on the wintry weather and North Texas and partially because of wintry weather in the Midwest.KXAS News Dallas, Frank Heinz, January 31, 2011.